Collapsible flower stand



April 18,1950 R. D. STROPLE ET AL 2,504,902

COLLAPSIBLE FLOWER STAND Filed Dec. 5, 1946 frzdeflianfi Edi vii ,5, $520,086 I fasepfezs'am j Patented Apr. 18,. 1950 2 PAIE N T orn-c e 2 ,504,902 icottxrsmise: FLowEiri STAND fS-troplelanfl HermanEi'Iosephsom Gltincester, Mass. i :ADDI catioR DccembeiB, 1946;! Serial No;.'113,7;54

.Thi'srinven'tion relatesto a stanaiendmorepan ticularly to a collapsible --st'andf {M -supporting: a-fiower pot or like container"forltgrowinga plants ini-eexposedsoutdoorv :locations for? exam-plea cemetery v r One obj ecty of v the; presentilinwiention isto prb g viderxa collapsible standbf the charactefide'scribed', which maybe readily and convenientlyfasseinbled i into v asfirmi rigid stand for; suppo titigf and"containmg. a fiower.,.pctlin upright position against m the adverse;bufietingsitof lwinds dustcrm' t andj which, maybe easily. and readily -be 'disasseiiibld" and collapsed into asubstantially flatptfcliageftb facilitate transportation and 'i6riec6nomy;:ofstore agerspacew I sOtherrobj ects-of the inventioniare toprovide a collapsible. stand Jofl'the charactefdescribed which is easy and inexpensive" to manufacturejwhichi's durable and weather resistant. inicon'struction; which is pleasing in appearance"-andf"whiclf'will 20' prolong thelife of thegrowing plant ver-reasonablyilongv perioids'iof 'dfoiightwithoiit need of furtheriattentions In'bne aspect theinventioii involves-w col-lap sible't stand ferrsup orti'ngaffiower pot comprisingr a; pair of legfsections havingi spaced -legs ai'ld' intersecting pivotally joined braces wnereby the sectlons'may'beswung froma collapsed operf atllve'position. wherein 'the sectionsnestrin *a"-'s\'1b=* stanti'ally hat plane" to *an i expanded operative 30' position, the {legs .ahaving extensions above 'thef bracesi'and aremovable member interfitting with the ezitensions for lockirigthe *extens'ions' in"o p"e'r=*- saveposition." The removable member'- maybea receptacle "havingmeans 'on its' "outer -wallsinter.=-'-- 35, fitting"witlrtheextensionsifor locking thesections" in 'operative position; In a mreferreii embodiment the receptacle "has an"out turned' flangeiorined with -extension=receiving re esses i for locling the" sections *in 'operativeipositions In-amore specific aspecfith 'legs have' inwardly-= bent extensions above the bracesfior"resiliently" holding the flower pot in upright position;' the-*- receptacle being" =resiliently held lo'cleing posinon by the inwardljt beiit"extelisidiism 56h le'gf 5-; section hasamupperbrace; nd a lcweribrace tne upper braces' inter'secting each other and' being plvotally j oined andethe.alcwerbraiees intersectings- V each 'other' 'and being otallyi ioinedfitheiirecei tacle beingiremovablyfseaten cnthezupp'er braces.

I In" another :aspectt-theiinvention i myolvesia co llapsible: istafid' for supporting sail-flowerpot com prisingra pa-ir *of. lega-sectionse each :s'ection. having. 7 spacedrlegs; an mppembraceiandea owertbrace upper:ibraeesrmterseetingt eaem ersmdshi ineirsa;

pivotally' joined and the lower' braces intersecting each'other and being pivotally joined, theuppei'" andlower braces of each section being formed 'at thepoint of intersection withcompliinentary slot 1 I constructed and arranged to maintain the 's''c'-- tions in assembled and pivotally interlocking re lation, whereby the sections may be swung Train,

a collapsed inoperative position wherein thesecfti'ons'rest in a substantially flat plane to arfii'ex-w pended operative position, the legs ha'vinge'xten sioi'isv above the upper braces, and "a, removable.

otsupport in'terfittin'g with the'ext'enslons for locking the sections in operative position. The

upper brace of onesectionis formed at thepolnti of intersection with a downwardly directed slot; and the lower'brace of the same section is formed with an upwardly directed slot, the'corr'espo'n'dinggg upper and lower braces of the other section being formed 'atthe same point with complimentary, upwardly and downwardly directed slots respectively, the slottedportidns of the severalbraces interlocking to maintain the sections in as semb'led and pivotal ly' interlocking relation.

For the purpose of illustration a typical'e'm-i bodiment of the inventionis shown in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is 'a' sectional elevation of the stand 'co'ne struct'edlin accordance with a typicalembodiment.

of the'pre'sent invention;

Fig. .2 is a top plan view showingthe leg'se'ction's in expanded position;

' Fig. .3 isa topplan view showing.the leg section'sl in'icollapsed position Fig. 4 is a top-plan View of a removablemember or receptacle.

Referring to Fig.1 the numerals I and 2 represent upright leg members formed preferably out of sheet. metal. intermediate their extremities the leg members are braced by spaced transverse braces. 3 and '4 provided at theirzopposite ends:

withlugs 5, the lugs being received through coinplimentary spaced openings'fi formed in the leg; The projecting ends of the lugsare;

members. I peened .overagainst the outer faces of the leg} members whereby the braces are rigidly clamped to the leg members to constitute oneleg section 9 of a'pair of leg sections. The upper. and'lowe r; braces 3 andt are formed. intermediate theirends with anupwardl-y and downwardly directed sl'ot Land ih respectively.

The other leg section It of'the'pair comprises:

similar legarnembers H and. i2 and like spacedtraneverse u eer and. lewer braces Hand M,

the: braces be'ing rigidly clamped to. the router? faces 1 theilegamembersgin. the same'mannergas;

sembled to provide a pivoted interlock except that their slotted portions 8 and it are reversed with respect to the corresponding slotted portions 1 and lb of the upper braces, as shown in Fig. 1. With this construction and arrangement of parts it is evident that the leg sections are mounted in assembled and pivotally interlocking relation with respect to each other, whereby the sections may be swung from a folded or collapsed position as shown in Fig. 3, wherein the sections rest in a substantially flat plane, to an expanded position as shown in Fig. 2.

The upper portions of the leg members extend above the upper braces and are inwardly inclined to a point ll adjacent their upper ends where they are formed with outwardly flaring lips it. A receptacle 2% for supporting the bot tom of a flower pot 2i is removably supported on the upper braces 3 and i 3, and comprises a suitable dish preferably of sheet metal and here shown as round in shape having an out-turned annular flange 22. The flange is formed with suitable means interfltting with the upper portions of the leg members when in expanded position, and here shown as four peripherally spaced recesses '23, the recesses being adapted to receive the upper portions of leg members I, 2, l l and I2 when in expanded position to lock the leg sections 9 and ii} in operation position. The receptacle 26 is resiliently held in locking position by the pressure of the inwardly inclined upper portions of the leg members against the flange as shown in Fig. 1 and as indicated by the dot and dash lines of Fig. 2. The receptacle 2!! is also adapted to receive and retain a quantity of water from which, in time of drought, a growing plant in the flower pot may draw needed moisture through the customary hole in the bottomof the flower pot.

' As'shown in Fig. l, the flower pot is removably and resiliently held in upright position in the receptacle 28 by the pressure of the inwardly inclined upper portions of the leg members against the flower pot at their points H.

The lower portions of the leg members extend downwardly below the lower braces and M, the lower ends of the leg members being formed with points 24 adapted to penetrate the surface of the ground to insure the maintenance of the stand in upright position against wind and storms.

"TO assemble the stand for its intended purpose the leg sections are pivotally swung from their collapsed inoperative position shown in Fig. 3 to the expanded operative position shown in Fig. 2. The receptacle 28 is then placed on the flaring lips i8 oithe upper portions of the leg members, the; recesses 23 of the receptacle being aligned with lips. The receptacle is then pushed downwardly between the inwardly inclined upper portions of the leg members and against their resistance causing the upper portions of the leg members to enter the recesses 23 thereby to lock the leg sections in expanded operative position. Further downward movement of the receptacle causesit to pass downwardly between the points ll of the upper portions of the leg members and to come to rest on the upper braces 3 and [3 where it is resiliently held in locking position by the pressure of the inwardly inclined upper portions of the leg members against its flange. The flower pot 2| is then pushed downwardly between the upper portions of the leg members until its bottom rests in the receptacle 2!} at which time it is resiliently held in upright position by the pressure of the upper portions of the leg members against the flower pot at their points I1. The receptacle is then filled with water if desired for the purpose above described and the points 24 of the lower portions of the leg members are firmlyimplanted in the sod.

To restore the stand to collapsed inoperative position the flower pot is removed upwardly from between the upper portions of the leg members, thereceptacle 20 is similarly removed thereby to unlock the leg sections and to permit them to be pivotally swung from expanded operative position to the collapsed inoperative position shown in Fig. 3 wherein the leg sections rest in a substantially flat plane.

For storage or transportation purposes the receptacle 20 is tipped on edge and its side wall 25 is inserted downwardly between the upper portions of the leg members in their collapsed inoperative position until th lowest point of the side wall comes to rest on the upper braces 3 and'l3, as indicated by the dot and dash lines of Fig. 3, the receptacle being removably and resiliently maintained in position by the pressure of the inwardly inclined upper portions of the leg members against the side wall.

It should b understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

' We .claim:

l. A collapsible stand for supporting a flower pot comprising a pairof leg sections each section having a pair of spaced diametrically opposed legs and an upper and lower brace extending from one legto the other and fast at opposite ends to the respective opposed legs, the upper and lower braces of one leg section being pivotally joined to the upper and lower braces of the other leg section, respectively, along the centralvertical axis of the stand, whereby the sections may be swung from a collapsed inoperative position wherein the sections rest in a substantially flat plane to an expanded operative posi-. tion,- the legs having inwardly bent extensions above the upper braces for resiliently holding the flower pot in upright position, and a receptacle removably seated on the upper braces and having an out-turned flange formed with extensionreceiving recesses for locking the sections in operative position, the receptacle being-resiliently held in locking position by the inwardly bentextensions.

2. A collapsible stand for supporting a flower pot comprising a pair of leg sections, each sec: tion having spaced legs, an upper brace and a lower brace, the upper braces intersecting each other and being pivotally joined and the lower braces intersecting each other and being pivotally joined, the upper and lower braces of each sec-' tion being formed at the point of intersection with complementary slots constructed and arranged to maintain the sections in assembled and pivotally interlocking relation, whereby the sections maybeswung from a collapsed inoperative position wherein the sections rest in a substantially flat plane to an expanded operative position, the legs having extensions above the upper braces, and a removable pot support interfitting with the extensions for locking the sections in operative position.

3. A collapsible stand for supporting a flower pot comprising a pair of leg sections, each section having spaced legs, an upper brace and a lower brace, the upper braces intersecting each other and the lower braces intersecting each other, the upper brace of one section being formed at the point of intersection with a downwardly directed slot and the lower brace of the same section bein formed with an upwardly directed slot, the corresponding upper and lower braces of the other section being formed at the same point with complementary upwardly and downwardly directed slots respectively, the slotted portions of the several braces interlocking to maintain the sections in assembled and pivotally interlocking relation whereby the sections may be swung from a folded inoperative position wherein the sections rest in a substantia1ly flat plane to. an expanded operative position, the legs having extensions above the upper braces, and a removable receptacle interfitting with the extensions for locking the sections in operative position.

4. A collapsible stand for supporting a flower pot comprising a pair of leg sections, each section having a pair of spaced diametrically opposed legs and a brace extending from one leg to the other and fast at opposite ends to the respective opposed legs, the brace of one leg section being pivotally joined to the brace of the other leg section along the central vertical axis of the stand, whereby the sections may be swung from a collapsed inoperative position wherein th sections rest in a substantially fiat plane, to

an expanded operative position, the legs having extensions above the braces, and a removable member interfitting with the extensions for looking the sections in operative position.

5. A collapsible stand for supporting a flower pot comprising a pair of leg sections, each section having spaced legs, an upper brace and a lower brace, the upper braces intersecting each other and being pivotally joined and the lower braces intersecting each other and bein pivotally joined, the upper and lower braces of each section being formed at the point of intersection with complementary slots constructed and arranged to maintain the sections in assembled and pivotally interlocking relation, whereby the sections may be swung from a collapsed inoperative position wherein the sections rest in a substantially flat plane to an expanded operative position, the legs having inwardly bent extensions above the upper braces for resiliently holding the flower pot in upright position, and a receptacle removably seated on the upper braces and having an out-turned flange formed with extension-receiving recesses for locking the sections in operative position, th receptacle being resiliently held in looking position by the inwardly bent extensions.

RALPH D. STROPLE. HERMAN E. JOSEPHSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,300,635 Mutch Apr. 15, 1919 1,680,050 Keppens Aug. 7, 1928 1,737,821 Anderson Dec. 3, 1929 1,772,693 Van Dorin Aug. 12, 1930 

